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Big Texan Steak Ranch
Amarillo, TX

Head down the I-40 in Amarillo and you will be struck with a hunger pang in your stomach typically just when you are passing by the Big Texan Steak Ranch. Nine times out of ten you will end up pulling off and heading towards the parking lot at the Amarillo roadside attraction and steak house.

Cadillac Ranch
Amarillo, TX
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

The Big Texan Steak Ranch first opened in 1960 as an off Route 66 establishment by Bob (RJ) Lee. Later when after the interstate bypassed old Amarillo Boulevard the owner moved this restaurant closer to the I-40 to make sure the place wouldn't get forgotten.

Travel around the area and you're bound to come up to one of the Big Texan's famous limousines that transport hungry visitors from all over the world from their lodging areas to the Big Texan for free. If you're too full to take the limo back or hit the road again in your car, lodging is available at the onsite hotel.

 

Big Texan restaurant and Big Mo
Amarillo, TX
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

The Big Texan is well known far and wide for its 72 oz steak dinner challenge where if a presumably hunger diner downs the steak and all it's fixins within an hour the meal is free. The fixins include a shrimp cocktail, a pretty sizable baked potato, full garden salad, and dinner roll. Supposedly just over 6% of hungry folk have met the challenge through the years. Can't beat the challenge. Well then it's time to fork over the $72 bucks for the cost of the meal.

This place wouldn't be considered a roadside attraction if it also didn't feature a big ol' steer named Big Mo in the parking lot and other large characters on site. The blue, yellow, red, and black paint scheme is fun and a can't miss eye catcher. There's cool signage throughout the property including a rancher character named Bob.

More info can be found at the official Big Texan Steak Ranch site.

 

See this colorful sign
Amarillo, TX
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

 

More photos through the years will added to this section.

 

UPDATE 2021 : The Big Texan was alive and busy during a visit in July 2021 that featured wind and some light rain.

 

The Big Texan marquee 2021 style
Amarillo, TX
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

The biggest change since 1999 other than photo equipment used evolving from using film and a 2mp Coolpix to combos of 50/100mp digital cameras is the ranch character in the background is gone and replaced with a standard billboard advertising take out orders. The lettering advertising and pointing the way to the motel is also gone.

 

 

The Big Texan entrance 2021
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

The entrance to the restaurant was busy this day with a 2 hour wait for hungry diners. Many with hungry bellys were waiting inside due to the weather outside. This signs on front of this building are pretty eye catching making this a true roadside attraction. 08-11

 

 

 

Big Mo was out in the parking lot greeting visitors as usual - 2000
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
Sign pointing to the motel - 2001
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

 

Here are more photos of the Big Texan with many more to come.

 

The Cadillacs nose first in the dirt
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

The sign off the road
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

Another angle
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

 

 

More info:

The Big Texan site

 

 

 

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© Copyright 1998-2021 Syd Nagoshi. All rights reserved. No portion of this document may be reproduced, copied or revised without written permission of the author.